Baze Djunkii on Nite Stylez
Released via Aut Records on April 8th, 2k19 is “Live At Nikodemus Chruch”, a live recorded conceptual album piece by the improvisational group that is the Hanam Quintet based on individual compositional ideas prepared by single members of the group being performed and developed in the given context. Starting with the nearly ten minutes spanning “Dreamhouse” the pack of five musicians presents a sparse, tender and mostly piano based take on romantic, heartfelt melancholia in Contemporary Classical music meets Jazz Noir moving forward into a wild, chaotic crescendo climax, “5 Miniaturen” brings exactly this within less than 5 minutes runtime, being mostly on the flurry side of things vibewise and “5 Q” goes from a slightly tongue-in-cheek start to the land of enchanted sceneries and beautiful magic pixies frolicking through the meadows. With “Free Transition 1” the Hanam Quintet moves forward in a highly dynamic way, swinging back and forth between quiet passages and hefty climaxes whereas “Bubble Cry, Fly” is as close to classical Jazz structures and (Neo)Classical romanticisms as it will get on this well free floating album although elements of massive erupting turmoil are to be expected. Furthermore the “Fog Panorama” unveils a buzzing early morning vibe brought to life by nervous high pitched piano tones and oscillating strings before a deep FutureJazz feel slowly starts to take over, accompanied by the first ever vocals found on this album. The “Free Transition 2” is in for a more tender, natural and Jazz Noir infused atmosphere again and the final cut that is “No Rulers” explores a quite brooding, danger-indicating and nervous sonic theme for a closing that induces restlessness even to die-hard lovers of scores and classic b-movie flics. A well demanding album for an expert audience.
Mario Biserni on Nite Stylez
L’Hanam Quintet, qui al terzo CD, è uno dei gruppi di punta della Aut Records. Tedesco per quattro quinti, con l’eccezione della violinista inglese Alison Blunt, in alcuni brani della prima uscita il gruppo ha ospitato anche il vecchio Tristan Honsinger. Quanto alla Blunt sarà certo nota ai lettori per averla già incontrata in alcune situazioni che coinvolgevano anche Gianni Mimmo.
La musica del quintetto (2 sax, violino, pianoforte e contrabbasso) può essere definita, vista l’assenza di batteria, come improvvisazione da camera. In particolare si sentono echi di quel puntillismo sonoro caro ad alcuni dei primi ensemble guidati da Anthony Braxton o Maarten van Regteren Altena. I cinque non rinunciano comunque a cucire anche tessiture più rigogliose.
Indicativa, sintetica e precisa è la presentazione del disco pubblicata nel sito dell’etichetta:
«For the concert at Nikodemus Church in April 2017 each member of the HANAM quintet prepared a compositional idea. These stretched from notated scores to poems, from text to visual instructions. But they also kept the focus on their unique and free mode of musical interaction which is a foundational (s)core of all of their music.
«In this album, recorded at the Nikodemus Church in Berlin, the five improvisers offer almost an hour of adventurous music where their interplay is brought to a level that the band probably never reached before. A must for the lovers of the “Echtzeitmusik” scene and for all the listeners that are not afraid to follow unpredictable musical paths off the beaten track.»
Sicuramente consigliato, anche se da casa Aut ci sono arrivate in precedenza proposte più significative.
On Avant Scena
“Live At Nikodemus Church” is out now on “Aut Records”. Album was recorded by “Hanam Quintet” – it’s a quintet who’s based on experienced and talented jazz masters. Here together plays Horst Nonnemacher (double bass), Alison Blunt (violin), Niko Meinhold (piano, cimbalon), Anna Kaluza (alto sax) and Manuel Miete (soprano sax). All five musicians are great improvisers. Their music is all based on the roots of avant-garde jazz and the newest innovations of experimental jazz styles. The influenze of bebop, post bop, mainstream, cool, contemporary and modern jazz styles also is heard. Musicians are real experimentators – they’re always filled with new ideas, original conceptions, bright and exclusive decisions. Unique sound is made by impressive improvising style, individual playing manner, rich and vivid musical language and modern instrumentation. Sound experiments, special effects, expansion of traditional zone of sound, all kinds of textures, tunes and timbres also make an effort illustrative and effective sound. The improvisers are playing spontaneously – their music is especially emotional, expressive and driving. Pleasure, passion, drive and expression are mixed up together with extravagant ideas, original ways of playing and other similar elements.
“Live At Nikodemus Church” demonstrates modern, extravagant and dynamic sound created by “Hanam Quintet”. The members of this ensemble have wide musical knownledge, the best playing technique, inspiring manner and original sound. They are willing to create fresh and innovative sound. That’s why the musicians don’t hesitate to get on adventurous interpretations, balance between free improvisation and composing, incredible sound experiments, crazy ideas and bright concepts. The music is based on synthesis of free improvisation, experimental and avant-garde jazz mixed up together with modern and contemporary jazz styles, as well as soft intonations of contemporary academical and experimental music. The musical pattern is multi-layed, colorful, inspiring and enchanting. It has dozens of layers who are contrasting with each other. The groups of different compounds are put one against the other. Wide range of rhythms, styles, sounds, timbres and expressions are used to create wide, universal and impressive musical pattern. The instrumental section is based on organic synthesis of traditional and experimental ways of playing. Musicians don’t hesitate to use weird, bright, rare, exotic or simply gorgeous ways of playing to create original sound. The melody line is based on saxophones, violin and piano. The melody section is rich and enchanting. It’s filled with expressive and dynamic melodies and has a polyphonic facture. Vivid and sparkling saxophones give the main tune to whole album. It’s driving, expressive and hollowing, sometimes – crazy, wild, frantic and aggressive. There’s also some dreamy excerpts, soft pauses, silent contemplations who meet growling blow outs, stitching and impressive riffs and strange timbres. Solemn and deep episodes meet dizzy passages and furiously fast ornaments. Piano is filled with breaking sessions, frantic sequences of chords, perturbating culminations, driving and expressive melodies, vivid and enchanting solos, light, dizzy, flowing and glamorous passages, aggressive and furious roulades who are contrasting with solemn and deep excerpts, calm lullabies or silent pauses. The violin is the source of academical intonations and awakening sound. Its driving and inspiring melodies are written in dramatic mood and accompagnied by shrieky tunes, stitching and low solos, longly-repeated series, tremendous and bright culminations and special effects. Pizzicatto, glissando, staccatto, rubato, arpeggio – it’s just one part of techniques and effects who are used here along with specific, authentic, rare or weird ways of playing. Double bass fits together with all instruments. Its deep, solemn, heavy and slow tunes contain stable and effective bass line. Sometimes it grows out to loud, vibrant, radical and perturbating culminations with inspiring melodies, ambient tunes, gorgeous timbres and special effects. Cimbalon is colorful and enchanting – it’s based on all kinds of rhythms. Perturbating culminations, driving series, moving solos, vibrant rolls, monotonic rhythms against wild, frantic and free improvisations – all these elements are gently joined together. The music of this album is bright, driving and inspiring.
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